Cotton-picking machine.



'PATEN'I'ED FEB. 20, 1906.

J. NISBET. COTTON PIGKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1905;

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J. NISBET. COTTON PIOKING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 24, 1905.

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351 attozncas PATENTED FEB. 20,'1906. J. NISBET. COTTON PIGKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1905.

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APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

a? 3 awn M JOSEPH NISBET, F ARGO, MISSISSIPPI.

COTTON-PIOKING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 20, 1906.

Application filed June 24,1905 Serial No. 266,836.

' To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH Nrsnn'r, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Argo, in the county of Winston and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Gotton-Picking Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates generally to a selfpropelled machine for picking and sorting cotton, for picking it from several rows at the same time, and for accomplishing these steps very rapidly.

The general nature of the organization, without regard to the various scopes of novelty which are attended to in the claims hereinafter annexed, comprises fan casings.

facing each other, a bifurcated dischargeduct communicating with the casings at the peripheries thereof, receiving-pipes projectfrom the casings in opposite directions, andsuction-pipes trapped upon said receiving-pipes, said pipes tapering outward from the casings, tapering rings on the casings and fitting around said pipes, truss-rods provided with feet at their outer ends by means of which they are attached to the outer ends of said pipes, queen-posts having feet attached to the respective fan-casin s and having forked outer ends through w ch said trussrods pass, turnbuckles between the posts for tightening said truss-rods, a ho per communicating-with that end of. the not farthest from said casings and having an o eningat the base, a netting over the. 11 per arge end of said hopper, an endless be t with spikes passing beneath said opening for receiving cotton and foreign matter from said fan-casin s, suction-tubes being provided for delivering cotton and any foreign matter into said fan-casings, suction-tubes extending from said pipes, each tube having a mouth, a casing extending laterally. to said mouth and closed except at the mouth, and a blade piv-- oted and rotating so that either end of the blade is first at the mouth and then'in the casing, said casing being large enough to alcotton to be taken circularly through the casing and then to the mouth of the suction-pipe, and'a flexible shaft rotating said blade.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the'organization to show the general relation of the lead ing elements by a side elevation. Some parts not shown in this'figure are apparent from other figures. Dotted lines representhidden parts. 2 is a front end elevation of the same machine, dotted lines representing hidden parts and some of the material being broken off for exhibiting as much as possible in one figure. The large driving-- wheels and sprocket-wheel are omitted and certain other parts; Fig. 3 is a plan of the same machine, some portions being broken away. Fig. 4 is a front end view of the nozzle of a suctionipe on a greatly-enlarged scale as compare with that in the preceding figures. v Fig. 5 is a side view of what is shown in Fig. 4, together with a flexible suctionipe in section. Fig. 6 is a portion of one o the main suction-pipes where it joins the fancasing. Fig. 7 is a perspective of thefancasing construction, together with certain additions not shown in the preceding figures. Fig. 8 is a perspective of the nozzle shown in Figs. 4 and 5 in the process of operation upon a cotton-boll.

I will first describe the elements constituting the'cotton-picking shears and the operation thereof in conjunction with jointly-acting elements.

At the end'of each of the fleiible suctionpi es 22 there is a rapidly-rotary blade 24, w 'ch, together with a cutting edge 25, forms a pair of shears contiguous to the mouth 22 of a metallic tube 22", with the rid e 22", overwhich fits the pipe 22,made,pre erably, of rubber. The short tube 22 has a lateral extension 23 forming a casing and having a pivot 23 for the blade '24, the edge 25 being on the material of this casing,whicho ens toward the mouth 22. Then the bla e 24 is rotated continuously, first one end and then the other strikes a boll B, which is shown in Fig. 8 as approaching the shears. The boll is thoroughly dissipated, partly by the shear action and partly by impact, some of the cottonpassing directly into the mouth 22 by suction and part being carried ast the edge 25 into the casing after being s eared or pulled off, and then around'with one end of the blade until the latter points again to the mouth 22, when the cotton is drawn from the blade by the rush of air into the suctionpipe 22. The cotton is thus thoroughly pulled from its plant, picking and shearing action and by a rush of air, both of which forces are independentof each other.

' The mechanism for rotating the blade 24 consists of a flexible driving-shaft 32, in'each qlhickly and 0th by the -IIO instance connected up. at one end with the' I pivots 23 and at theother end with the bevelbe easily directed to the cotton- Wheels 31, Whose bearings are 28, carried on I rackets 27, which are suspended from the mam tapering air supply pipes 21. The bevelwheels 31 are permanently engaged with the bevel gears 30, mounted upon the shafts 29, which are driven by belts. To the inner ends of each of theshafts 29 is attached a pulley-wheel '33. Belts 5O connect the pulleys 33 to the driving-pulleys 49 of an engine, of which the cylinder is 42, the connectingrod 43, the'crank 44, and crank shaft 45, mounted upon which are the two pulleywheels 49.

I will next describe the elements for maintaming pressure and motion of air for forcing the cotton to theplace desired.

thereof may bolls When the cotton has been separated in the manner alreadyrlescribed, it is carried along by the air through the pipes 21, the duct 15, the discharge-duct 16, and the hopper 17, whence the air may escape through the netting 18, while the cotton falls down the hopper 17 and is successively caught by the traveling spikes 38,, where an operator may pick out any foreign matter. The wheels 2 and 4 should move across the field, straddling one of the rows of cotton-plants. Therefore four rows may be operated upon by the machine shown in Figs. 2 and 3, where there are four pipes 22. Any ipe unused should be plugged to make the other pipes correspond The fans for producing the suction are inmgly more efficient. The rear wheels 2 are slde 0f the casings 14; out it Is sufiicient to journaled upon a rigid axle 3 and are connected up with the engine by a sprocketchain 59, a sprocket-wheel 58 on the axle 3,. and There is a clutch for the sprocket-pinion 53, and it consists of amember54, rigidly attached to the pinion 53-, and of a movable member 55, adaptedto slide upona spline, which is on the shaft of the engine.

The front wheels 4 are on a swiveling axle 5, which is provided with a fifth-wheel 6, hav ing teeth upon its front peripher meshing with a pinion 7, attached to a shaft 8, which passes through a bearing 9 and is provided with a steering-wheel 10 at the to -for changing the direction of travel of the se f-propelled vehicle. In my improvement the force of the engine through the mechanical shafts and gearing is positive and unyielding. Any cotton caught between the rotating blade and the casing would either be out off by the shearing action or carried along, but the blade 24 would not stop. The force driving it is many times greater than any resistance that could be oifered by cotton.

I claim as my invention 1 1. In a cotton-picking machine, the combination of a suction-tube, a casing at the end show the common shaft 12 for both fans and the driving-pulley 13 for the shaft. This pulley .is driven by the engine-pulley 46 through a belt 47. The two fan-casings 14 are connected to a bifurcated discharge-duct 15, the bifurcation being shown by .the branches 15 on one end of the duct 15.

16 is a discharge-nozzle vertically reduced in dimension and laterally extended inboth directions for feeding the hopper 17, the top of which is covered with w1re-netting 18, which is shown partly broken away for the purpose of exposing to view the elongated exit 19 at the base of the hopper, which is carried upon a frame 34, standing on the bed 1 of the vehicle. The frame 34 also carries rollers 35 and 36 for an endless belt 37, having spikes 38 standing perpendicularly on the belt. The shafts for the rollers are 39 and 40, the latter one being extended at one end to support-a pulley 41, which is belted to a pulley 51. on the engine by the belt 52.

The inlet-ports of the casings 14 are bou'nded by short flanges 20, within which the larger ends of the conical pipes 21 are fitted. As the weight of these ipes and their adj uncts is great, they shou d be braced. They I are accordingly supported at the to and front by truss-rods 60, provided with eet 66 l thereof with an opening at the mouth of said at their outer ends, by means of which they l tube, and shears with their cutting edges are connected to the suction pipes 21 by 1 near the mouth of said tube and the opening rivets 63. The inner ends of the truss-rods l of said casing. pass over the outer ends of the queen-posts 2. In a cottonpicking machine, the com- 64 and each pair of rods is joined by a turn- I bination of a suction tube having a mouth buckle 65. The feet 61 of the queen-posts I for receiving cotton from the boll, and shears are riveted by rivets 67 to the fan-casings 14. located adjacent to said mouth for assisting The outer ends of the queen-posts 64 have in separating the cotton from the plant; forks 68 for receiving the truss-rods. By 3. In a cotton-picking machine, the com-' this construction the main pipes 21 in use j bination of a suction-tube having a mouth may be subjected to heavy strains without for receiving cotton from the boll, shears 1pdanger of slipping from the fan-casings cated adjacent to said mouth for assisting in The suction-tubes 22 communicate with separating the cotton from the plant, and the main pipe 21 by being slipped over the f means for continuously operating said shears. bent ends .21 and the taps 21. The main 4. In a cotton-plckmg machine, the compipes themselves are rigid, but the branch i binationof a suction-tube having a mouth tubes .22. are flexible, so that the nozzles for receiving cotton from the boll, shears loby a sprocket-pinion 53 on the engine.

of said casing,

cated adjacent to said mouth for assisting in separating the cotton from the plant, an engine for driving the machine, and mechanism connected up between the machine and the movable blade of the shears.

5. In a cotton-picking machine, the combination of a suction-tube, a casing at the end thereof withian opening at the mouth of said tube, and shears with their cutting edges near the mouth oi said tube and the opening one blade of the shears being and'the cutmovable relatively to the casin eing formed ting edge ofthe other blade upon said casing.

6. In a cotton-picking machine, the com-' bination of a suction-tube having a mouth for receiving cotton from the boll, shears located adjacent to said mouth for assisting in separating the cotton from the plant, an engine for driving the machine, and mechanism connected up between the machine and the movable blade of the shears, said mechanism consisting of gearin aflexible shaft connecting said gearing and one of the blades of said shears, and a driving connection between said engine and said gearing.

7. In a cotton-picking machine, the combination of a suction-tube having a mouth for receiving cotton cated adj aoent to said mouth for assisting in separating the cotton from the gine for driving the machine, mechanism connected u between the machine and the movable bla e of the shears, said mechanism consisting of gearing, a flexible shaft conneeting said gearin and one of the blades of said shears, a driving connection between said engine and said earing, a fan-casing, a. pipe extending-there om, and brackets attached to said pipe and supporting said gearing, said pipe communicating wit said suction-tube. 8. In a cotton-picking machine, the com bination of a pneumatic tube, 'a casing at the end thereof, with an opening at the mouth of said tube, and shears with their cutting edges near the mouth of said-tube and the opening of said casing. p In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of June, 1905.

JOSEPH NISBET. [L. 3.1

Witnesses H. H. RODGERS,

G. B. Woonwsnn.

plant, an enfrom the boll, shears lo- 

